No seat assignment available for us on Turkish air…A letter from Expedia.com…

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With the midsummer heat, few flowers remain in the gardens.
With our upcoming flight from Venice, Italy to Mombasa, Kenya on September 2nd, arriving 17 hours later on September 3rd, we’d expected to be able to sit together.

When booking the flight several weeks ago, trying to choose our seats for the three legs of the flight, a message popped up stating that seat assignment will be available at a later date, unknown at this point.

As I walked through the gardens, the bees swarmed around me.

The thought of the possibility of that long flight without being able to sit next to one another was frustrating for us both.  Playing Gin and dining together (yes, they serve meals) makes the time pass quickly, an excellent diversion.

Knowing little about Turkish Air other than reviews we read online, we have no idea what to expect.  The reviews varied from “hate them” to “loved the flight” more on the favorable side.  There were few flight options to Kenya.

The honey bees love the lavender, still in its full glory.

Yesterday, concerned about the lack of seat assignments, I contacted Expedia.com from whom we purchased our tickets.  With the usual good customer service, I expected a response within 24 hours.  Within hours, they responded to our request with the following:

"Dear Expedia Customer,  
Thank you for contacting us about your seat requests for your flight reservation. The airline has not made seats available for a pre-assigned seat request at  this time. The airline will assign seats for you when you check in.
Meanwhile, your seat assignment requests have been sent to the airline. Please be advised, that the airline ultimately controls, seat assignments and we cannot guarantee every request will be honored. Confirm your specific requests with the airline before departure.   If this does not answer your question or solve your problem, feel free to reply to this message or  call us at 1-800-EXPEDIA (1-800-397-3342) or 1-404-728-8787 (for callers outside United States and Canada) and reference case ID: ????? Thank you for choosing Expedia.  Dennise Expedia Customer Service Team"

All we can determine from this message is that when checking in at the airport, we’ll have to stand in line, hopefully, early enough to get seats together, which may or may not be possible. Why? Why do it this way?

The shade of the overhanging vines creates a pleasant patio area in our yard.

If their online system is not sophisticated enough to allow seat selection? If that’s the case, are their planes updated and maintained to meet modern standards?

Each time we encounter a possible stress-inducing situation, we develop a back-up plan to ease us through the scenario. In this case, very early arrival at the gate in Venice is our best option. 

However, when we were departing on our last ship, the Norwegian Spirit in Venice, we were warned not to arrive at the airport over three hours before a flight’s departure.  One would not be allowed into the terminal if earlier.

We’ve noted our calendar:  arrive at Marco Polo airport in Venice at 7:30 am on September 2nd, considering our 10:30 am flight. 

A good soaking rain would bring all of the vegetation back to life.  It rains a little a few times a week but not enough during the summer heat in the 90’s each of the past several days.

Also, checking online for information about that airport, we discovered that they have a technology kiosk where we’ll be able to recharge our laptops and smartphones prior to departure.  At this point, we’re unable to determine if any of the three planes we’ll be flying have “plugins” at our seats (what seats?) for recharging digital equipment. 

Having our equipment charged will enable us to read Kindle app books, play games, and of course, write about our travel experience as it transpires, posting it on the blog in real-time.  If the plane doesn’t have plug-ins, we’ll recharge our equipment at kiosks at the two other airports along the way, Istanbul, Turkey, and Nairobi, Kenya, at each of which we’ll have layovers and plane changes.

Plan in place.  Stress reduced. 

The next flight stress inducer is overweight luggage, especially since we don’t want to pay the extra $700 in fees when we flew from Dubai, UAE to Barcelona, Spain. The process of reducing our load has already begun as we’ve disposed of more and more items each week, including making a pile of items we may ship to Kenya, after all. 

In checking with the owner of the house in Diani Beach, he’s agreed to accept a box of items for us.  It will be insured. If it’s stolen, we’ll be covered. We shall see how this rolls out.

More evidence of a need for rain.  This grass was lush green only a few weeks ago.

Tom has expressed his desire to drop off whatever rental car we have at the Venice airport the day before our departure. With the two hours it took to originally pick up the car, he feels more at ease doing it this way. 

At first, I disagreed with him.  Why bear the expense of transportation back to the hotel the previous day? With the hotel offering a complimentary shuttle to the airport, we’d have to pay the one way.  As these other concerns have materialized, I agree with him.  

In any case, we would have done it “his way” whether I agreed or not. To avoid arguing over any such item, we always acquiesce when one of us is adamant about a particular issue. Thus, we don’t argue, making the assumption that either of us is smart enough to make reasonable decisions.

The ongoing process of planning to reduce stress and surprises well in advance takes time and careful thought.  With that in mind, surprise, often occurs, forcing us to ditch our best-laid plans to begin again. I guess that is the way life is in general for all of us:  “Expect the unexpected.”

Road trip tomorrow!  To heck with waiting for the rental car agency to let us know where and when to swap out the rental car. Not a word from them. Off we go, back later in the day with photos and the story of our expedition.

Oh, it’s the simple things…

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A European Hornet’s nest was being built by a slew of giant hornets in a crack in the small opening at the top of this photo. These old stone houses are a breeding ground for nests for all types of critters.

While hanging the laundry this week, I heard the loudest buzzing of a hornet that I’ve ever heard,  which apparently was a European Hornet. Following the sound, I looked up to find a nest of giant wasps being built into the high stone wall on the patio. Knowing they were busy building the nest with little time to bother me, I finished hanging the wet laundry, hoping that they were just “looking” to build a nest.  Not the case.

Yesterday, again hanging laundry, their numbers had increased and we knew we had to contact Luca, the owner, and ask for his assistance. If we both weren’t allergic to bees, hornets, and wasps, we’d have taken care of it ourselves. It wasn’t worth the risk.

Contacting Luca by email, within hours we had a response translated to English. “No worry. We come to fix it tomorrow.”

At 10:00 am this morning, Lisa and Luca appeared at the door, with bags of “goodies” to help us, including laundry soap (we’ve supplied our own), cleaning supplies for Santina, items necessary to rid us of the hornet’s nest and “mosquito netting” for covering the windows in the kitchen, living room and master bedroom.  I jumped for joy! 

This en suite bathroom window will now provide a good breeze coming off the mountains at night when the temperature usually drops into the 60’s.

The thought of being able to chop, dice, and cook in the kitchen without bugs biting me made me squeal with delight. Being able to have a window open at night was beyond belief with it cooling down into the 60’s most nights. Having the window open in the living room while playing gin or watching a movie was more than thrilling. Oh, it’s the little things.

Lisa stapled most of the edges of this “mosquito” netting as screens for the windows.  This kitchen window attracted many flies and bees with frequent cooking going on each day.  We’ll keep an eye on it to ensure no gaps leave an opening for insects to enter.  We removed the Ziplock bag to keep flies at bay, moving it to another screen-less window we often keep open.

Lisa and Luca…amazing! As soon as they saw the email stating we needed their assistance with the hornet’s nest due to our allergies, they went to work on a solution making it possible for us to have windows open in this warm weather.

The netting wasn’t quite large enough to use a single piece.  Lisa and I agreed that two well-placed pieces would work on the living room window, close to where we frequently sit on the sofa to play Gin and watch movies.

Now as I write this, the nest is either dead or dying, the windows are covered and we couldn’t be happier.  On top of it all, while they were here working, Santina had placed a large bag of green beans and zucchini on the doorknob when we didn’t hear the doorbell.   Lisa had seen her drop them off, telling me when I questioned who had brought them.

I wish I’d heard her knock on the door when she dropped them off so I could’ve said, “grazie mille” (thank you very much) as I’d said over and again to Lisa and Luca, almost making a fool of myself with gratitude. 

Also, I wanted to thank Santina for the three pieces of “torte” which Tom tried this morning, finding them unusual but delicious. Due to the crusts made with flour, he only ate the insides, to find they were all “‘sweet” pies that one may eat for dessert, although they were made with vegetables. 

It killed me not to taste these. In my old life, those three different pies would have been right up my alley.  I won’t tell her that I couldn’t eat them and possibly hurt her feelings. (She doesn’t go online). But I will rave about the flavor of the pies enjoyed by Tom and the generous bag of the green beans and zucchini some of which we’ll have tonight with dinner.

The flowers are still on the ends of the zucchini, which we’d never see at a grocery store or farmers market.

How I long to bake many of my favorite recipes to share with these wonderful people!  Unfortunately, I can’t find the ingredients to make most American favorites. Maybe I’ll figure out an alternative soon, using the local ingredients. 

It’s the simple things in life that mean so much, isn’t it?
_________________________________________________

My razor broke a few weeks ago. There are no less than 20 blades in our luggage that fit my old razor, now useless.  I can’t find a similar razor.  I shave every day. Foolishly, in the US before we left, I purchased a nifty women’s razor from Walgreens, their own brand.  They no longer carry it. 

While in Pescia at the larger grocery store, Esselunga, they were only a few options, mostly disposable razors.  The only non-disposable types were two that had a battery to enable it to “act” as an electric razor. (Had I purchased a larger brand name, I still wouldn’t have been able to find a replacement razor).

I’d be OK with the battery-operated type but they are heavy, not suitable for our luggage plus. Anything with batteries is an issue other than the most pressing items, such as a camera. Every ounce counts!

With no other options, I had no alternative but to purchase the disposable razors. Do I throw away the expensive blades? I guess so. 

During the week-long period when I had no razor, I used Tom’s razor, swapping out a separate blade each day, then putting his blade back. Cumbersome. Glad that’s over.

It’s the simple things. 

Its been over two weeks since I gave up Crystal Light Ice Tea, suffering no withdrawal. I’ve thought about it a few times each day as I sipped on the bubbly bottled water, tiring of it in a few days.  Plain water bores me.

Letting Tom use the remaining Crystal Light until gone allowing me to go “cold turkey,” he guiltily suggested that I make “real” ice tea. You know, tea bags and water.

Unable to remember the last time I made “real” iced tea, we looked online as to how many tea bags to use as opposed to how much water after we’d purchased a box of 50 Lipton teabags for US $2.25 (not a bad price).  It wasn’t easy to find the plain ice tea recipe. 

Who makes ice tea these days with many options available in the grocery stores?  I don’t drink regular soda with its tons of sugar not suitable for my way of eating.  If I did, there are no sugar-free options here, other than Diet 7-Up  and Coke Zero, neither of which I care to drink.

After a frustrating search online including at the Lipton site, I decided to try the suggested one teabag in one liter of water.  Horrible.  Too weak.  Later I added another teabag settling on this recipe:

  • Make 1/2 liter plain water in the coffee pot or teapot for hot water 
  • Drop two teabags in the hot water 
  • Let sit for 1/2 hour at room temperature
  • Remove and toss teabags
  • Add other 1/2 liter cold water
  • Add to taste, Stevia or liquid Splenda
  • Chill until cold, adding ice and lemon to an insulated mug

It’s palatable, although not as good as the Crystal Light.  There’s a little caffeine from the two teabags which is fine.  One could use decaffeinated teabags if caffeine is upsetting.

The 50 teabag box is enough to last for the remaining time we’ll be in Boveglio.  This one-liter container has been lasting for almost two days.

Wherever we may travel we’ll be able to find teabags, water, and ice.  As for the lemon; a cut lemon without preservatives only keeps a day or two in the refrigerator. I said goodbye to the lemon. It’s not worth tossing halves of lemons every few days although I appreciate the fact that the food here has no preservatives. The freezer is our friend, although it already needs to be defrosted again before our next grocery shopping.

Yes, it’s the simple things, the comforts in which we surround ourselves whether living on the road such as we do, packing for a weekend camping trip, or planning for a stay in a hotel.  We tend to gather the familiar items that help us feel “at home” and “at ease” adding to the pleasure of the time away.

Letting go of many of the comfort-related items from our past, embracing new items we’ve incorporated into our lives as replacements while adopting new comforts we’d never noticed or appreciated, is all part of the process of simplifying our lives. 

Ironically, all of this may change when we arrive at a new location.  Ironically, this is also OK with us.

Prescriptions are on the way…Best pricing ever!…Gift from Santina, with photo…

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Santina cleaned our house this morning, bringing this fabulous plate of “torte” she’d made. How thoughtful she is! With the pie crusts made with flour,  I won’t be able to take a taste, but Tom will definitely try all three of these.  There’s no doubt they are delicious.  I will savor them via my eyes, otherwise known as being a “food voyeur.”

It’s hard to believe that almost a year ago that we purchased a year’s supply of prescriptions, the few we take, to get us through the first year of our travels. By the end of this month, we’ll have been gone for nine months.


Realizing months ago that getting mail in Kenya was going to be sketchy at best, we knew we’d have no choice but to order our prescriptions while still in Italy. 

Keeping in mind that the only way we’ve received mail thus far has been through our mailing service in Nevada (with similar such mailing services all over the US).

Luckily, we were able to make arrangements with the owners of our house here in Boveglio, Italy as to how we’d receive the multiple packages being sent to us from the mail-order pharmacy.  By using our address in Boveglio and the owner’s name on the packages, we were assured the package will arrive at our door.

While posting when still living in the US, we made many references as to how we’d receive a year’s worth of prescriptions.  Our doctor wrote the prescriptions for one year, leaving it up to us to pay for the upcoming full year out of our pockets without using insurance.  The insurance company wouldn’t approve more than three months at a time.

Ironically, the cost of the full year’s of medications was actually less than a full year of co-pays we’d paid for the same prescriptions, each of the prior two years. Hum…

As we priced, our prescriptions using this “new to us” online pharmacy, we were shocked that their prices were $200 a year less than the amazing deal we received from our local pharmacy in the US almost a year ago.  Our local pharmacy had agreed to beat any of the local prices we found at the time, including Walmart. Now, at less yet, we’re thrilled.

For those of you wanting to use this online pharmacy, you need only produce copies of your prescriptions that you may either snail mail or email to the company.  You can do it for one month to three months.  They allowed the 12 months of prescriptions for us, due to our travel schedule which we provided.  They ship free anywhere in the world with a $20 extra fee for the expedited per package. Their customer service is excellent with them quick to respond to email inquiries. I never had to speak to them on Skype.

If one is paying too much for prescriptions, it is certainly worth a few minutes to check their online pricing. Also, this company made the process so easy.  If one doesn’t have the actual prescriptions, they will accept photos of the prescription bottles. This company is approved by the Better Business Bureau and others.

The only hitch for us, we need to be here when they arrive since they’ll be left outside the door.  The anticipated arrival time for us in our remote location could be up to 21 days, which we’re counting off on the calendar.  If ordered in the US, the package(s) will arrive in a few days. Outside the US, it may be a few weeks, requiring one to order well in advance of running out. 

Their website allows for automatic refills which we didn’t do since we’ll need to figure out a new mailing address next summer while in Madeira, Portugal, or Marrakesh, Morocco. 

So often, I’ve talked to seniors frustrated over the cost of their medications. We don’t have to sit back, a captive audience for the prescription plans we are familiar with. It’s imperative in these tough economic times that we reach out for other options to save as much as possible along with convenience.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to post comments or email me directly at jessicablyman@gmail.com. I’m happy to help. Their website is user friendly, so easy to use, even if you aren’t an avid online shopper.

Another consideration at this time is the fact that we’ve yet to hear about what happens with the rental car that we’ve been informed has been sold. We’ve been told to “stand by” for instructions as to when and where the car will be swapped out. 

This definitely limits our previously arranged and later canceled plans to travel for a few days. If they say they are coming to Boveglio on a certain day and we’re staying in a hotel in another remote location, this creates undue stress for us.  The language barrier further adds to the complexity of this situation.

Plus, the six prescriptions we’ve ordered (including more Malaria pills and antibiotics after I’d used a Z-Pak in Dubai needing to replace it) will arrive in six separate packages, possibly on separate days beginning in two weeks. At the moment we feel we must stay put.

Actually, we don’t mind staying put for now. We have much travel ahead of us. The pleasant and fulfilling routine, we’ve established in Boveglio, is all we could ask for at the moment.

We spend most of each day outdoors on the shaded veranda with expansive views in front of us.  Our evenings are full and rewarding. Sleep is comfortable in our bug-free bedroom with the fan quietly cooling us as we languish in the comfortable bed and covers. Our meals are fabulous, mostly easy to prepare. Plus, Tom does the dishes.

Tonight at 9:00 pm, we’ll walk to the “square’ for the weekly gathering at Bar Ferrari making our way back home a few hours later, uphill all the way. The locals, used to the climb, don’t seem to huff and puff as they maneuver the hills. I hope before we leave here in less than six weeks, that we’ve built enough stamina to do the same.

A procession, live music… A ripe zucchini… An odd solution to drive away the flies…

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Sandwich sized Ziplock bag clipped to the railing of the veranda with clothespins with the intent of keeping houseflies from bothering us, biting us and from coming inside the house.

Last night, as darkness befell Boveglio, a procession of parishioners commenced originating in the old church with the loud bell tower that we’d videotaped a few weeks ago. (Please see archives for June 30, 2013).

Here are our videos of the procession. Bear with us, it was dark:
Video #1 – As the procession left the church and entered the road
Video #2 – As the procession was maneuvered up the road
Video #3 – The procession as it made its way passed our house
Locals walking on the steep roads during the procession last night.  The woman on the far left in navy blue is our own, Santina, our precious cleaning lady.

Much to our surprise the marching band and followers walked the long, steep roads traversing past the door to our house as they continued on to the square near the Bar Ferrari.  

As we stood outside on the road, outside of our house, as the procession stopped for a few minutes for prayer. There’s Santina again in navy blue. Notice the heels on her shoes!

Making the video in the dark was difficult when we wanted to avoid blinding them using flash and thus our video is hard to see. Their safety on the dark winding roads superseded our desire to make an easy to see the videos.

The shrine, across the street from our house, was well lit with candles and the focus of the prayer led by the priest as we stood outside of our house.

Many of the parishioners carried candles, illuminating the way for the marching band.  Need I say, it was a delight to behold.  Our vantage point made the festivities all the more exciting, being able to watch the beginnings from our veranda and later from the road outside our front door.

The locals were dressed in their finery with many of the older women walking the long steep trek in 2″ high heels.  Oh, I’d better stop whining about climbing these steep hills, casually dressed while wearing tennis shoes!  They were a sight to see, quite an inspiration.

Zucchini from our garden???

Our solitary zucchini which grew in the garden on the patio.

Years ago, I had a garden in the overly wet soil in the only sunny spot near the lake at our home in Minnesota.  Amazingly, much of the produce we’d planted actually ended up in the kitchen while I feverishly made salsa, a plethora of zucchini recipes, and myriad dishes made with a variety of peppers. 

The tomatoes didn’t do as well in the soil or in the pots we’d placed around the yard. As a result, I made a determination that my thumb wasn’t green enough to be a garden enthusiast and I stuck to small herb gardens. 

Eventually, I converted to an Aerogarden, a lighted indoor garden given to me by my dear friend and business partner Theresa which ultimately kept us in herbs year-round.

Arriving in Boveglio on June 16th, two large planters were prepared for us to tend, literally jammed with herbs, tomato, and pepper plants in their infancy. Unfortunately, flowers had been planted as well, attracting many bees of which we’re allergic. 

As a result, we used the herbs regularly but didn’t spend much time tending to the care of the planters, other than an occasional watering with the hose provided. 

For some reason, yesterday, I decided to get rid of some of the weeds and dead leaves spending a little time to hopefully giving the garden a chance to grow. Wouldn’t you know? I stumbled across this 8″ zucchini with what appears to be more on the horizon.

With renewed interest in the garden, Tom immediately began watering again taking special care.  This one zucchini gave us hope.  Ironically, we had purchased a basket of 8 zucchini when grocery shopping on Monday some of which I’d used the prior two nights to make a stir fry of zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes seasoned with fresh garlic, basil, and rosemary from the garden.

This patio is where we suntan a few times a week.  These impatiens seem to attract the bees as do most flowering plants requiring us to pay special attention during our hour in the sun, quite close to the planters.
The second of the two planters.  As you can see, the giant leaves on the are those belonging to the zucchini.  It appears we’ll see more zucchini over the remaining summer along with the abundant herbs we’ve been using.

Why in the world do we have hanging Ziplock bags half-filled with water and a few coins in select areas of the house?

Tom and his retired railroad guys, friends, and family member send hundreds of emails between one another each week in addition to frequently posting on Facebook. Many are silly jokes and a wide array of goofy entertainment.

On occasion, a post or email may contain “how to’s” that work (or not) to ease one’s life in one manner or another. Over a year ago, Tom’s sister Rita and most recently a railroad friend, posted this information on how to get rid of annoying flies.

Recently, I’ve resorted to wearing my Exofficio Bugs Away pants at dinner each night to keep the flies from biting my legs which are intended for use on our upcoming almost year-long travels to Africa. 

It’s comforting to know that these pants and other such clothing we’d purchased online while still in the US, embedded with Permethrin, actually do keep the bugs from biting.  The product remains in the clothing after 70 washings. We have 69 washings left, having worn them on several of our excursions in the desert while aboard ship. 

The main purpose of this type of clothing is in the prevention of mosquitoes carrying Malaria from biting, as well as other insect-borne diseases (Of course, we’ll be taking anti-Malaria pills and, had numerous immunizations while in the US, many lasting up to 10 years).  However, some insect bearing diseases have no prophylactic medication or appropriate vaccination).

In any case, when this “home remedy” with Ziplock bags came down the pike several days ago, we began our own research.  The efficacy of this remedy is disputed and confirmed by many reliable and less reliable resources.  Studies had been done, not under ideal conditions which are often the case in certain studies.  The most substantial validation of this simple process was the general public in 1000’s of comments and reviews all over the web.

Here’s a Ziplock bag half-filled with water and a few Euros to ward off house flies. See the story for the results of using these well-placed bags over the past 48 hours.

At times, when a household remedy is used, naysayers say the results are “psychological” or “the placebo effect.”  Keeping flies at bay is hardly either of these. Are they less intrusive after two full days of use?

Ziplock bags are not sold in Italy.  Luckily, we have many with us that we’d used in our luggage to contain small items and bottles that could potentially spill. Dumping the contents of several of the sandwich-sized bags (the only size we have with us), we tested them for holding water.

Here are the instructions for this housefly deterring remedy. There are dozens of websites debunking this supposed Internet legend. What did we have to lose to put a few Euros (no pennies with us) in plastic bags in a few choice spots around the house:  the kitchen, the patio where we keep the door open for air during the day, and the veranda where we sit outdoors most days?  We could reuse the bags after drying them and put the Euros back in Tom’s pocket if it didn’t work.

The definitive answer is “YES!”  It works! Without wearing the Bugs Away pants since we clipped up the three bags, I don’t have one new bite, not during the day, not during dinner. 
We’ve actually watched the flies attempt to fly in, immediately heading back outdoors. Now, we can sit on the veranda with only an occasional crawling insect.  With the kitchen windows opened from the time we awaken until bedtime, we’ve only killed or chased off a total of three houseflies, as opposed to the dozens we were dealing with only days ago.
Why does it work? From what we read, flies have a powerful vision, including peripheral vision.  When they see the bag with the water’s reflective light, they perceive it as some life-threatening creature, heading the other way.
It works for us. With the hottest period of Italy’s summer fast approaching, we no longer have to keep the windows shut in these three areas, where we spend most of our time.  The bedroom door and windows continue to stay closed around the clock, considering the fan we use at night. 
Thanks, local residents for the procession of last night.  Hello, zucchini. We’ll dine on you tonight. And most of all, goodbye houseflies!
At the end of today’s post, there is an explanation as to why we have a Ziplock bag of water hanging near to the door to the patio where the planters are growing herbs and vegetables for our use over the summer.

Thinking, worrying, dreaming about traveling to Africa in less than 6 weeks…

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Borrowed Diani Beach photo.  Soon we’ll be able to post our own photos.

In a short time, we’ll be living in Diani Beach, Kenya for three months. It’s hard to believe. All of my life, I’ve dreamed of going to Africa. Tom, not so much. He’s coming around.

As we’ve traveled, anticipating the next location brings many questions to mind, some nagging at us from time to time. I’ve hesitated to do the research again until now, as I did a year and a half ago while planning our travels before leaving the US. At that point, we didn’t necessarily know all of the points of consideration, as we do now.

This could be any of the many photos we took on the beach in Belize.  As we’ve traveled, we’ve found that each beach has its own breathtaking beauty, memorable in its own way.

As soon as my laptop fired up this morning, my fingers flew across the keyboard looking for answers to questions that popped into my head during the night last night when I awoke t 3:00 am, finally able to fall back asleep an hour later with a list embedded into my brain in which to address this morning.

All of the answers to our questions were answered via many websites I found this morning, many more than available when researching 18 months ago.

1.  How is taxi service in the area? The cost? We’ve heard that tourists should avoid driving around Kenya, using taxis and drivers for safety reasons.
2.  Is there a reasonably good sized grocery store nearby?
3.  What is the currency exchange? Is there a nearby bank in order to exchange currency?
4.  Are there restaurants nearby? With it so far to restaurant while in Boveglio, it would be ideal to dine out a few times a week. 
5.  Is there a nearby barbershop for Tom? Although I didn’t find a specific barber, there were references to a few local barbers near the three shopping malls.
6.  Review the facts about our rental property laundry, kitchen facilities, amenities. Now that we have a better handle on what we do and don’t need, its interesting to be reminded of what will be available.

Reviewing these and other links put our minds at ease for the time being. Trying hard not to project or anticipate in excess, in order to live in “the moment.” 

Although I do have a little angst about the 24 hour time period that it will take to travel to Mombasa, Kenya, arriving at 3:00 am, taking a cab for the one hour drive to the house. 

Staying up all night isn’t as easy as it was when we were younger nor is sleeping on a plane. Perhaps, if I “reframe” the scenario in my mind that it is “only one full day” out of a life full of many other pleasurable days with many more to come.

The best bread-free sandwich in the world…It’s low carb, grain-free, starch-free and sugar-free..Easy to make…Photos instructions…

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It’s important to wash the dirt off of lettuce. If it’s not organic, carefully repeat rinsing in cold water, which may remove some of the pesticides.  If it is organic, carefully rinsing the lettuce removes dirt and little green worms which we’ve found on organic produce here in Italy. Usually, we dry it with a clean white kitchen towel or paper towels, wrapping the leftover lettuce in the white towel, and placing it in the fridge will keep it fresh for days. For the recipe, wash and dry 8 large romaine lettuce leaves, usually the leaves closest to the outside.

Two years ago when we began this restrictive way of eating, I was desperate for ideas. I’d heard that Jimmy Johns made a bread-less low carb sandwich called the Unwich. Cute name, eh?

Slice fresh tomatoes, purple (or yellow) onions as you prep for making the sandwich.
Off I went to the store closest to our then home in Minnesota to give it a trial run, purchasing “The Club Unwich” for two. Taking it home for dinner that night was unusual. We never and I mean never, ordered fast food for dinner. The only carry-out we had once a month or so was Chinese food, now forbidden on our way of eating, due to soy, MSG, sugar, noodles, etc.
This sliced Emmental cheese or sliced Provolone cheese seems to add more flavor to the sandwich. Try to avoid using overly processed American or cheddar cheese. There is no cheddar cheese in Italy due to the dyes used to color it. That’s impressive!

Making a large salad on the side, Tom and I sat at the bar in our kitchen and munched away. Halfway through, I jumped up and decided to “open” my sandwich to see how it was put together. Doing so would enable us to make these at home. 

Place the meats on a plate in preparation for assembling the sandwich. This mayonnaise is the best mayo we’ve ever used, no chemicals, few ingredients.
On the days we make the sandwich we usually have bacon and eggs for breakfast making extra bacon for the sandwiches, refrigerating it until we assemble the sandwich.

Of course, we could have continued to purchase them at Jimmy Johns. At less than US $6 each, they were a good buy, easy and fast.  But, for several reasons we decided to make our own:
1.  Our local Costco sold quality sliced nitrate-free meat and bacon.
2.  We could make the sandwich any size to fit our appetites.
3.  We’d be certain that no bread products had touched the food.  With a gluten-free sensitivity such as mine, even a bread crumb could become an issue.
4.  Use of higher quality, more flavorful real cheese, as opposed to highly processed cheese.
5.  Use of organic lettuce, tomatoes, and onions.  Why eat pesticides when one has a choice.
6.  Use of high-quality mayonnaise as opposed to the highly processed product.

Parchment paper is readily available at any grocery store. We used it almost every day to cover the bottom of any pan going into the oven (don’t use it on top of the stove) to reduce the cleanup and ease in getting the food, such as pizza out of the pan. It’s great for baking but one must not use it in excess of 375 degrees or it may burn. Do not use it when broiling. If you eat potatoes or sweet potatoes, parchment is ideal for making oven fries. Toss pre-cut potatoes with olive oil and salt and place in a preheated oven to (190C), 375F, baking for 30 minutes or until brown, tossing every so often. Best fries ever. For this sandwich recipe, we cut two pieces of about (75 cm) 30 inches each to use to wrap the ingredients as one would wrap a tortilla.

For us, these were great reasons to make it at home. For others, it may be easier and befitting a busy lifestyle to head to Jimmy Johns and purchased them made to order.

To begin making the sandwich, lay two large romaine lettuce leaves, overlapping, end to end, centered on the parchment paper, the long way. Be certain the lettuce is dry to avoid a soggy mess later.

After mentioning these sandwiches a few times in our posts, a number of our readers have written to us requesting instructions on how to make our “to die for” bread-less low carb sandwich. With that delectable morsel on the menu tonight for dinner, today is the perfect day to take photos to show you the easy step by step instructions.

Place the turkey or chicken slices atop the lettuce, cover with tomatoes. It’s OK to add more if you’d like.  We prefer this smaller amount.

(An item you’ll need to purchase at the grocery store along with these food items, is parchment paper or freezer paper which is used to wrap the sandwich. For kids or messy adults, use two rubber bands to hold the paper on the wrapped sandwich). 

Place the cheese atop the tomatoes, adding the mayonnaise using the spatula or wide knife.

Once familiar with the process, one can put two of these sandwiches together in a matter of minutes with the ingredients at your disposal. Below are all of the ingredients you’ll need to make two large bread less Club sandwiches.

Ham slices in Italy are different than deli ham slices in other countries, fattier, no nitrates, and less flavorful than the ham slices in the US.  In our sandwiches, we don’t use Italian salami. It was too fatty for our taste buds, greasy on the tongue.  One can add or delete any items in this sandwich.  But, the most important for maximum flavor is bacon, cheese, and mayonnaise.  Sliced roast beef also works well when available.  We would have purchased it yesterday, but it was US $42 a pound so we were content with the ham and sliced chicken.

1 large ripe tomato, sliced medium thickness
1 large purple onion, sliced thin
8 large washed and dried romaine lettuce leaves
4 slices Provolone cheese (or other preferred sliced cheese)
6 ounces sliced deli ham
6 ounces sliced deli turkey or chicken
6 ounces sliced salami, roast beef, or other preferred slice meat
6 slices cooked bacon
Mayonnaise (Tom doesn’t like mayo but in this sandwich, he does. Give it a try or use other sandwich spread that you or leave it out).
Parchment paper, cut into two 30′ long pieces

Layer the cooked bacon and the onions slices.

Adding these items to our grocery list is easy here in Italy. All of their meats are nitrate and chemical-free.  Thus, they spoil quickly.  As a result, when we purchase the above to make the sandwiches, we usually eat them for two nights in a row, freshly made each night, in order to use up all the meats we’ve purchased. 

After layering all the ingredients, lay two more dry pieces of the romaine lettuce atop, matching up the length of the sandwich to avoid a lot of overlap on the ends.

Yesterday, we shopped and tonight will be our second night of the sandwiches, which we anticipate with the same enthusiasm as last night. The sandwiches can be made earlier in the day and stay fresh in the refrigerator until dinner. 

Fold the paper over the sandwich on the edge closest to you, beginning to roll it tightly.

When Tom was still working I made these sandwiches for him almost every day for the next day’s lunch, staying fresh overnight. I prefer making them the day they are eaten. But when packing lunch for work, making them the prior day is unavoidable. 

Tuck one end over as if you were gift-wrapping a package.

The sandwich will keep in a lunch box the same amount of time any sliced meat sandwich will keep. Tom always used an insulated lunch box with a frozen freezer pack of some type. Keep refrigerated until ready to eat.

Continue to roll it tightly, tucking in both ends, leaving one end loose for unwrapping it as it is eaten.  Using a few well placed wide rubber bands helps for those who may have difficulty pulling the paper down neatly.  Tom is messier than I am and needs the rubber band which I lost yesterday.  It was the only one we had.  He’ll manage.
The final product, tightly wrapped, ready to chill, and enjoy with a side salad and steamed vegetables.

So there it is folks, our favorite sandwich. Actually, it’s our only sandwich. We have, on occasion, used this same concept using tuna salad, egg salad, and chicken salad, layered with cheese (or not), and preferred raw veggies.

A cold dinner is ideal on a hot day such as today at a humid 91 degrees!

Invasion of biting insects…Ouch!

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Yesterday afternoon, while chopping and dicing for dinner, I felt two sharp stings only seconds apart on each of my calves.  Startled by the sharp pain, my eyes darted around the kitchen for the nasty culprit(s), dishtowel in hand, ready to snap the life out of the perpetrator. 

Actually, I’ve become quite good at this task since I’ve spent more time in the kitchen with a towel in hand than looking for a fly swatter which is rarely handy at the opportune moment.

With the temperature in the low 90’s with humidity to match, it was impossible to keep the kitchen window shut, hoping for the little breezes that swoop off of the mountains periodically.

Most often having the kitchen window open attracts bees and typical houseflies.  Conscientious about keeping the kitchen clean and free of food debris, we’ve managed to keep the indoor flying insect population at bay.

Not yesterday.  It must have been the barometric pressure.  The horseflies were on a mission to visit me and dine. For some odd reason they seem to be attracted to me, not Tom, who seldom is bitten by anything, other than the relentless no-see-ums in Belize and the mosquitoes in Minnesota, jokingly referred to as the State Bird, when in fact the loon is the State Bird.

Dining in the kitchen last night was not fun, although we had a delicious meal of homemade mozzarella cheese stuffed Italian meatballs, topped with savory marinara sauce with sautéed mushrooms, locally made Parmesano/Reggiano cheeses, a side of grilled eggplant, seasoned with herbs from our own garden and of course, our favorite giant bowl of coleslaw. The locally grown horseflies were in Heaven with the smells wafting through the air.

Not one to wear perfume and scented products (one learns this living in Minnesota) it must be my personal scent that flying and biting insects find appealing. I found this recent article that unfortunately, didn’t provide me with a clue as to why biting insects bite me.  It’s always the same old, same old, as I sit here on the veranda with flies buzzing my head as I write this, Tom within four feet of me, safe from the wrath.

Still waiting to hear back from Budget Car Rental about swapping out our “sold” rental car, having canceled our road trip plans, we decided we’d shop for groceries today. With careful meal planning every two weeks, we found ourselves running low on a number of staples. 

Our plan was to enjoy our morning coffee with a light breakfast with a plan to head down the mountains to our favorite market in Pescia, Esselunga, almost 30 minutes away. 

Routinely checking our email during coffee time, I sat at the kitchen table, showered and dressed for the day, thoroughly savoring every swallow of fine Italian coffee, topped off with equally fine real cream.

Aware of the possibility that last night’s horseflies may still be in the vicinity along with a few bees that had joined in the festivities, my trusty white dishtowel was on my lap ready to go into action.  Distracted by a noteworthy article that popped up in my Facebook account, I didn’t notice when a flying thing landed on my towel close to my right hand. (I later noticed a smidgen of red sauce on the towel from last night that most likely attracted the creature.

Ouch!  Something bit me so hard on the pad of my palm that I literally jumped out of the kitchen chair, swatting wildly with the towel. Immediately, my hand began to swell. Our concern; not the pain, the swelling, or the redness, but was it a wasp or hornet sting that, with the intensity of the pain, set us on a path of response?

Both Tom and I are dangerously allergic to bees (used as a catchall phrase for certain flying stinging things). Last time either of us had been stung, we ended us in an emergency room, receiving Epinephrine and Cortisone injections, antihistamines, and ice packs for days.

Based on the intensity of the sting, I had no alternative but to assume it was a bee sting and react accordingly.  Of course, as we’ve mentioned before, we have several EpiPen in our medical kit in the event of such an occurrence.

Overreacting is pointless but a solid plan in place that we had previously rehearsed immediately went into action. Here were the steps we took:

1.  Immediately, I put a Benedryl tablet under my tongue for rapid absorption.
2.  Grabbed the EpiPen, reread the instructions, and placed it in my jeans pocket in the provided case. Is breathing compromised?  If so, use the EpiPen before completing the following.
3.  Used a credit card to wipe off any excess venom and stinger.
4.  Washed my hand in warm soapy water,
5.  Checked the bathroom mirror for any redness around my throat, chest, and groin area, all of which, for both Tom and I, were the bodily areas to react within minutes, besides the site of the sting.
5.  Made an icepack, promptly placing it on the affected area of my hand.
6.  Put on shoes, grab wallet and ID, more Benedryl, EpiPen, ice pack, and towel and head out the door.

Please keep in mind, the above is what we will do. Please consult your physician for instructions appropriate for you and your family members. 

Our plan was simple.  We’d drive toward Pescia where the grocery store is located along with the closest hospital to Boveglio. Normally, if there is a reaction to a bee sting it is within minutes, not hours.  It would take us a half hour to arrive at the hospital. 

With the actual use of the EpiPen, it is highly recommended that the patient immediately receive medical care.  This is a life-threatening occurrence for many people such as us, with proper medical care subsequent to the injection vital to ensure against further possible consequences. 

If there was no swelling of my throat, no systemic rash, and no massive swelling at the site of the sting, most likely it wasn’t a bee sting but a horsefly.  As we traveled down the mountain with no further reaction, Tom driving quickly but safely on the multitude of hairpin turns, I became convinced that it wasn’t a bee sting.

By the time we drove into the Esselunga grocery store parking lot, one euro was in my hand to pay for our grocery cart, my smartphone was in the other hand with our grocery store app loaded with two week’s of grocery items, and I was feeling fine.  We’d made it in 27 minutes, a good trial run.

Although a little sleepy from the Benedryl, I was ready to shop, leaving Tom in the car to read a book on his smartphone while he’d wait for an hour and fifteen minutes to come to find me. With not a word in English in the entire store, my former one hour shopping time had turned into almost two when we came to Tuscany.

In the past, getting a horsefly bite would result in a badly swollen and inflamed appendage or body part. Not the case today.  Although the now three bites (the two calf bites and the hand bite) are itching like crazy, I’m happy as a clam to having been spared.

As I write this now, I’ve moved inside to our bedroom, the totally bug-free zone where we never open the windows, use a floor stand fan and keep the bedroom door shut around the clock.  Usually, we feel fairly “safe” on the veranda with no flowers or plants nearby but today, after they were “buzzing” around my head, I’d had enough and came indoors.

Soon, back to the kitchen to make dinner, clean dishtowel in hand, I’m ready to snap those flies into oblivion to be able to enjoy another blissful evening of fine food, playing a little Gin, watching a favorite show, and idle chatter with my hubby.

In any case, it was good practice. I doubt Africa will be a bug-free zone! After digging through my suitcase, I found my Permethrin anti-insect long khaki pants, deciding to wear them during dinner. Let’s see how that works!

What?…Rental car issues!…Classic European cars guessing game…Please help…

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#1 Is this an MG?  Year?  Notice at a distance, the red Ferrari or Lamborghini.

This morning as we sat on the veranda Tom pointed out a procession of classic-type European cars coming up the winding road, fast approaching our area.  Were they on their way to a car show?  Running in my bare feet to take photos, I grabbed the camera and dashed down the stone steps, unlocked the front door (which is tricky), and headed outside, barely in time to take these shots as the cars buzzed by.

There is only one road leading in and out of Boveglio, one heading north, the other south, requiring anyone driving the general area, travel this option, directly passing our house.

Standing on rocky steps, I did my best shooting these photos as the cars whizzed by at surprisingly fast speeds for such a narrow village road. 

Tom’s expertise is in American cars, not foreign cars.  He’s identified these the best he can.

Can you identify any of these cars for us? The make.The model? The year? Correct us if we’re wrong! Please comment using the assigned #’s for each car, at the end of this post. We’ll make corrections based on your comments.

#2 Is this a Mercedes?  If so, which model, year?
#3 Is this a Porsche?  Model?  Year?
#4 Is this a Porsche?  Model?  Year?
#5 Is this an MG?  Model? Year?
#6 Is this a Mercedes?  Model?  Year?
#7 Is this a Triumph? Spider?  Year?

Please read below for the ongoing unbelievable rental car situation!

Without an actual phone number with us, with access to Skype, only my sister had offered that we use her cell phone number when a number was required such as for a car rental, airline reservation, etc. If she received a call for us, she’d only need to email us the name and number to return the call and we’d make the call via Skype.

On Thursday, she received such a call from Budget Car Rental at Marco Polo Airport in Venice. They called to inform us that our rental car was sold and to immediately return it to Venice, a five hour drive each way. 

Are you kidding me????

Prepaid until September 2, 2013, do they expect us to drive for 10 hours, stand in line for another two hours to get a different car, pay for gas at US $7.50 a gallon, tolls along the drive, meals, la la la???

Only a week ago, after an excruciating week of trying to reach someone who spoke English, they sent us a new extended contract, charged our credit card US $1356 to extend to our desired date when we’ll return the car to Marco Polo Airport in Venice when its time to fly to Kenya.

Trying to reach an English speaking person at Marco Polo by phone was fruitless. The thought of beginning that painstaking process again made my stomach hurt. Thus, I began an email campaign, sending no less than two messages a day requesting management respond to address this issue.

Finally today, Sunday, a manager returned the message saying they will either bring us another car to Boveglio in the next few days or they will require, we bring the car to a closer location such as Florence, which is still a two hour drive each way.  The manager said he will work on it and get back to us.

With a hotel reservation booked for our upcoming road trip on Tuesday, we had no alternative but to change our plans, leaving us and the car-free to respond to their decision. 

Immediately upon receiving this message this morning, with a 48-hour cancellation policy on our hotel reservation, I knew I’d better get to work to cancel the reservation. That in itself was not as painless as one may think.

Our reservation check-in time is 1:00 PM Tuesday, giving us more than 24 hours to cancel.  Ha!  Inexperienced traveler such as I in staying in hotels booked online (with little travel over the prior 15 years while living in the US) didn’t think that the 48-hour cutoff began at midnight last night, as opposed to check-in time on Tuesday.  Our 48-hour window no longer applied.

Having booked the reservation with Hotels.com I immediately logged into their website in a pointless attempt to cancel, leaving me no alternative but to call using Skype. After a half-hour on the call, our reservation was canceled at no charge, freeing us up to deal with the car. 

Now, we’ll wait to hear back from Budget as to how we’ll get the replacement car.  I can’t imagine how this is not going to cost us something, gas, expenses, or arbitrary charges. We had read reviews of potential issues when renting a car in Italy. 

Reminding myself to take a deep breath, I know this is a part of the experience, perhaps a price one pays, literally and figuratively, for having the opportunity to travel the world, as unencumbered as possible. So it goes. 

I settle myself down having vented here, realizing in the realm of things, its really a small inconvenience. We have our health, we have each other, the weather is beautiful, we have “our people” who love and miss us as we do them, and the future is open and bright for us two homeless wanderers.

With our road trip now on hold, pending the car situation, we settle back into our routine, playing a little Gin, lounging on our chaise lounges in the sun for an hour every other day, walking the hills in the neighborhood, taking a trip to Pescia for groceries tomorrow and enjoying a fabulous dinner we’re preparing for tonight.

Hope to hear back from you car aficionados!

A night to remember…New friends…A story told…

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Blurry photo. Handing off the camera to a kind gentleman to take our photo, I must have accidentally changed to “out of focus background,” which I overlooked until this morning. After our fabulous night, I couldn’t resist posting these photos, although they’re all out of focus. Daniela is in the photo with us at my left and Armenia at her left, sitting on the steps.
The interior of the “theatre” in the square, where, with mouths agape, we viewed each photo with our new friends encouraging us along, telling stories mainly in Italian, so proud to share their history with us. It was a night we’ll never forget. Y

Yesterday we thanked Michela, the owner of Not Only Pinocchio B & B. She suggested we walk down to the Bar Ferrari in the “square” around 9:00 pm when the locals mingle on Friday night (actually other nights also, from what we heard). She offered to meet us to “make the presentation” of us, as she said in her easy-to-understand broken English.

Neither of us couldn’t recall the last time we went out after 9:00 pm, old-timers and early risers that we are. Without hesitation, we decided to go, knowing full well that we’d have the steep walk on the return home in the dark, with the departure downhill.
Bringing our cell phones for light, we were relieved as we began the descent to see street lights atop the houses, lighting the way along the road every few hundred feet. We’d be alright on the return, albeit out of breath at the end of our long day.
Anticipating that we’d sit inside the bar Michela steered us to one of the several groupings of chairs and benches outside the bar after we’d each grabbed a beverage, me water with “gas” (as they say) as opposed to water with “no gas” and Tom a beer, again the total for both in Euro $1.50, US $1.95.
Many of us have old photos of our deceased and living relatives, bringing us a warm sense of our roots and family history.
As Michela presented us to an entire row of no less than eight older women, traditional in their shirtwaist dresses, cautious about newcomers, they, none less, welcomed us as we desperately tried to remember their names with little luck.
None of the photos were dated, but the clothing may indicate the early 1900s.
Moments later, we were seated on a bench with Michela as more and more residents gathered outside, undoubtedly curious about the strangers and yet comfortable in their familiar gathering spot on Friday nights after 9:00.
Based on the clothing, this wedding procession could have been in the 1950s. This was the unpaved road leading to the church and cemetery we highlighted in the post-dated July 16, 2013.
These are the inner working of the clock tower that clangs four times an hour, often irregularly, located next door to us. We laughed when the locals mentioned how close we were to the sound of the clock, using the typical head and hands signal one uses to indicate sleep, as they inquired about our ability to sleep through the noise.
This is the then unpaved road closest to the street, near the church, that leads to Bar Ferrari.
Our house is located on the right side of this road, difficult to see with the trees.
The construction of the road to our house, It’s hard to conceive of the degree of manual labor required to build the steep streets in this area in this era.
Other than a walking path for residents and animals, there was no road to our house in these photos. It’s hard to imagine the difficulty in getting from place to place, not only here but in remote areas worldwide.
We aren’t able to determine this period from this blurry photo.

Later, on our steep walk home, we couldn’t stop talking about our evening; the laughter, the camaraderie, the warmth, and the joy that we felt at having discovered, thanks to Michela, this world of people that were around us all along, the entire month we’d be here. 

We’ll be busy every Friday night after 9:00 pm for our remaining time in Boveglio. Plus…Bingo Night is on the horizon!

Tom determined that we translate this document that was drafted at the time of the presentation of the photos on the theatre walls. It was a slow, painstaking process as he read each letter to me as I typed them into Google Translate. Read below for the complete translation. Although not an old document, the photos on the walls had a tremendous influence on the village residents of Boveglio. We were honored last night as they proudly showed us the photos and their prized “theatre,” where beginning on August 10, Bingo will be held each night. Of course, we’ll attend!

The image of eyes to listen to our days is one of your most powerful communication vehicles. We experience this huge power every day through posters and billboards but also through reports and photos of authors who are able to get in touch with reality distant from the point of view of geography, culture, customs, and costumes

But there are other images, which beyond their artistic value and correspondence to the rules and techniques of photographers, can speak to our eyes as long as we are willing to stop for a moment and listen. It‘s the case of fifty-four shots proposed by the photographic exhibition “Once upon a time in Boveglio,” organized by the Loco to give everyone, villagers, vacationers, and casual visitors, a chance to learn more about a country, a region, and its people, educated and active in several moments of everyday life, ranging from work to sport and leisure from ceremonies, religious commemorations, civilians, all linked by the common thread of energy who spends that leaves an indelible mark on the territory and the people …

The Pro Loco invites all to spend between these photographs taking the time to see, admire, and understand. Potra happens that pausing a moment longer in front of the “snack,” a young man of Boveglio laid down his glass; there whispers an amusing anecdote of that day of what were the daily tasks of mothers and grandmothers so long ago.

The Pro Loco would like to thank those who, with their generosity and participation, have made possible the preparation of the exhibition by providing photos of their scrapbook. A special thanks to Francesco Ricci, who worked with passion and skill set-up and the technical part of the exhibition. Go to all the invitations to have sharp eyes, to listen.

Boveglio July 25, 2009K

KatiaSebastiana”

Treasuring the village of Boveglio and its residents…A visit to a local B & B with photos…

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The flowers of Tuscany never cease to amaze us.  The colors, the smells, the varied designs make them appear more artist rendered than real life itself.
Old fashioned community washing pool, where locals gathered to do their laundry.  The larger is for washing. The smaller sink is for rinsing.  Of course, they’d bring their laundry home to dry outside their windows.
Me, in the old apron, hanging on a hook in the above photo and Michela, ready to rinse the clothes.  Talk about authentic! I like doing laundry but I don’t know if this would be as convenient.

As mentioned many times in our posts, nothing in our travels pleases us more than the opportunity to meet and interact with the locals. It is from these experiences that our travels become more meaningful and enriching. 

Unfortunately, in the small community of Boveglio with a population of only 150, meeting local residents has not been easy. Add the language barrier and we’re left with little opportunity to mingle. That may change after a special day today.

With non-existent Italian language skills, we’ve found ourselves making feeble attempts to communicate in the hope of acquiring a sense of the village and its culture. 

Santina, our delightful cleaning person was here today. We’re stay on the veranda as she busily performs her tasks for two hours at a total cost of US $20.85. Close to my own age, she’s a whirling dervish, full of energy, enthusiasm and brute strength.  I see this as she works wishing I had her stamina.

She wears a dress, a flowered print with a waistline, as most of the adult women wear in Italy, with a full apron when cooking or cleaning. Her attire easily reminds me of the 1950’s with my mother wearing a “shirtwaist” flowered print dress while standing in the kitchen also wearing an apron.  Oh, how times have changed!

Today, when she arrived, I had typed a message to her in Google Translate which she fully understood requesting that she not open the windows in the master bedroom. These past few weeks that we’ve been fortunate to have her fine services she’s opened all of the windows to aid in the drying of the stone floors. Of course, a zillion flying things came inside. If we can protect the bedroom for bug-free sleeping, we’re content. 

The entrance to Not Only Pinocchio along the narrow road.

Here’s a short video of Not Only Picocchio

She chuckled after reading the translation which apparently was clear and concise. I suppose she giggled at the availability and subsequent use of such a translation device for us to communicate.  But, for all we know, she has a computer at home playing games on Facebook at night.  I won’t ask.

To expand our horizons, I contacted the owner of the local B & B, Not Only Pinocchio, that we’ve noticed while making our way on foot to Bar Ferrari, the local pub. This particular long steep walk was depicted in a video we borrowed from a kindly gentleman we met online, which was taken while he was riding his motorcycle. Please see the archives on the right side of our home page for 7/17/2013 for the video.

Finding the email link for Not Only Pinocchio in the contact section on their site, I wrote asking for a tour of the property. Within hours we received a response from Michela, a delightful woman who much to our surprise, spoke some English. 

We’d hoped to visit and photograph the quaint B & B and share it on our site for our readers all over the world to see. As free advertising for them and for an opportunity for us to explore, it was a win-win. Today, at 2:00 pm as planned, Michela was waiting for us outside the B & B when we arrived early (as us older folks tend to do). 

The convenient kitchen with everything a cook could need at the B & B.


Michela enthusiastically explained the detail on this antique hutch in the kitchen.
This table in the kitchen, most likely covered in Formica in the 1950’s is well-preserved and ideal for this location.

Our perception is that their B & B is aptly named, “Not Only Pinocchio” to illustrate that one need not stay close to the town of Collodi which is only 20 minutes down the mountain and the birthplace of the story of Pinocchio. 

Tuscany, a much desired popular tourist destination, offers an endless array of rich historical significance attracting millions of tourists each year.

Too cute..the owners of Not Only Pinocchio, Michela and Luca Panigada! (Luca is a common male name in Italy).

Although there are numerous hotels within 30 minutes of Collodi, Michela and Luca chose to offer this unique B & B, away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist crowd in the village of Collodi and its surrounding communities. As one of a few small businesses located in the village of Boveglio, it never fails to honor the truest form of the Tuscan life.

The living room, well equipped with books, flat screen TV, WiFi and a variety of artworks Michela and Luca have accumulated over the years.

Michela, born in the region of Lucca, lived in Milan for many years. The draw of her father’s roots in Boveglio created a passion which she shared with us today, for the changing tourism business that continues to offer more and more opportunities for the smaller villages, such as Boveglio that provide unique facilities for tourists.

One of the two guest rooms with stone floors, artwork and antique furniture.
Michela was excited to show us the “mirror image” of duplicate artwork on the bedroom walls, repeated in the hallway.

Many tourists worldwide, such as ourselves, are pulling away from the traditional hotels in order to grasp the genuine flavor of a region such as Italy; the culture, the ambiance, living amongst “the people,” eating their authentic foods, basking in the simplicity of their centuries old lifestyles, often with less modern conveniences.

The second bedroom with a king sized bed.
The “included in the price” kid’s cubby.

Not Only Pinocchio enmeshes travelers in a welcome respite from the traditional busy, noisy hotel rooms and lobbies, reducing stress, add-on charges, and more often than not, a small, often uninvited single room with made-to-look-old accoutrements and furnishings. 

Favorite artwork by local artist, a good friend.

If authenticity is a tourist’s objective, Not Only Pinocchio, has it all. With two well-appointed guest bedrooms, either or both of which can be arranged at reasonable pricing, guests have access to an over-sized Tuscan kitchen, living room, cute cubby sleeping area for kids at no additional cost, all of which is appointed with all of the “must-haves” and so much more, including antique treasures each with their own special story.

A Picasso print, many of which are seen in Italian homes, proud of the art of Italy, steeped in historical significance, revered by art aficionados worldwide.

Playing a role in promoting local businesses, however small, adds yet another layer of enjoyment in our worldwide travels. This B & B, quaint in its décor, encompasses the full flavor of the Tuscan life which may be the ideal for travelers seeking more than a number of nights in an traditional hotel.   

Living in an authentic property whether for a night or months, such as we chosen to do, is the essence of memories that one will cherish forever.

Tom getting ready for the walk home.  See, his haircut is shaping up after all!

As is the case in our home for the summer, Casasottolatorre Villa Basilica, we are drenched in the semblance of life from another time in a manner one would also experience at a stay at Not Only Pinocchio.

Michela walked partway back with us introducing us to her neighbors, who’s garden we’ve admired when walking on other occasions.

Thank you Michela! We hope to see you again soon!

The tiny chapel where the local women pray in the evenings.  We’d noticed this structure when walking a few weeks ago but had assumed it was on private property.As Michela walked partway back with us, she showed us this little treasure which actually is on communal property.